Then, we were off to Edinburgh, Scotland for two days. Edinburgh quickly became the favorite. Not only is it absolutely beautifully situated in a valley, but its striking Edinburgh Castle stands as a gem in the center of the city. As we stepped off of the bus and onto the Royal Mile, we could hear the sound of bagpipes faintly playing in the distance. I know many of these things are just done for the tourists, but I soaked it all in because it created such a charming, if only fabricated, ambiance. Snowflakes began to fall, so we felt obliged to buy some pretty nifty hats with zig-zags and pom-poms decorating almost every inch. We stopped into the Elephant House, the famous location where J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter, for a bit of coffee and lunch. It was recommended that we also partake of fried Snickers bars, a new beloved snack of mine. We toured several museums as well, including the Scottish National Gallery, the Tartan Museum (yes, as in kilts), and the Scottish War Museum at the Castle. Edinburgh made me feel like a princess, especially when I saw the crown jewels at the Castle. I’d really like to go back to Scotland one day and tour the rest of it…and perhaps catch a glimpse of old Nessy.

Next up was Dublin, Ireland. We stayed in a bed and breakfast right off of O’Connell Street in the center of town. We visited the Chester Beatty Library, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Dublin Castle while we were in the city, but my favorite experience in Ireland was our bus tour of Wicklow County. Just south of Dublin, Wicklow is full of ideal, picturesque Irish countryside. When you think about the greenery of Ireland, Wicklow is it (which explains why so many movies about Ireland are filmed there). In fact, the movie P.S. I Love You was filmed right along some of the roads we traveled and in a small town we visited. It was gorgeous. We ended our trip with a few double cheeseburgers from the Burger King down the street and then flew back to Rome the next morning. I had an unbelievable time. It’s weird to think that in only a few weeks, I’ll be home. My time abroad has felt like it’s flown by, but I’m excited to see my family and friends soon.

The next weekend, Catherine, Sara and I jetted off to Barcelona, Spain for the weekend. The Sagrada Familia was artistically and architecturally phenomenal. We took the advice of a few of my friends and waited in line for the elevator that took us to a magnificent view of Barcelona. It was truly wonderful. I also really loved that we saw this big group of gypsy-like students playing guitars and dancing in the park. You really must go to Barcelona because there’s something indescribable about it…it’s so musical and mellow.

We also visited the Picasso Museum for an afternoon and accidentally stumbled upon a huge peace protest on our way back to the hotel. I was a bit fearful at first because of some anti-American government sentiment being expressed by the signs and chants, but I asked some people in the crowd about it and found out that it was taking place because it was the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. There were also people calling for a Free Tibet. The protesters and journalists I spoke to (in my imperfect Spanish) were really nice and informative. It was such a fascinating experience and cool to see passionate people being politically and socially active.   

Although we had eaten the quintessential Spanish dishes like paella and churros with chocolate, our after-church Sunday meal was some good ole KFC. Palm Sunday in Barcelona was absolutely beautiful because of the warm beach weather and colorful palm decorations. The Palm Sunday parade that we saw was so elaborate and vibrant and included musicians and a giant float carrying a statue of Christ and flowers. We briefly went to the beach to take a look at the Mediterranean and bask in the lovely sunshine. Our last stop was Guell Park which was a really peaceful end to our unforgettable trip. Barcelona had an incredibly cool vibe. I loved it.

Laurann: I hate Rihanna. She tries too hard to be Beyonce. No one is like Beyonce.

Catherine: No. You’re wrong. Beyonce is like Beyonce.

Laurann: (As we stare at a ditch/cliff below the narrow bridge we are walking along.) What would happen if we just fell right now?

Catherine: Death.

Laurann: (After climbing up and down about 500 steps.) Catherine, my legs are starting to burn and I think I just twisted my ankle.

Catherine: Live. Breathe. McCain.

Laurann: (Shamefully silenced and continues climbing.)

Laurann: (Looking down at the beautiful water.) What if I jumped in?

Catherine: Well, you’d get really cold and then you’d hit the rocks and die.

Check out this cool article by my friend Sara (she's awesome and she writes for the JCU newspaper) to find out more about the trash in Naples story.

Because of the positive comments I got regarding my last entry, I thought I would ask Catherine to once again contribute to my blog. I truly needed her to help tell the story of our Florence trip because I knew I couldn’t quite express its hilarity. Thanks, Catherine.

We walked up ten flights of poorly-lit staircases and knocked on the door to our temporary home. We were greeted by bloodshot eyes and a manic voice proclaiming “How lucky I am. Sixxxx beeeautiful girls!  Six sexxxxy girls are here!” We hesitantly stepped inside and handed over the cash, ten euro each, for our luxurious accommodations: lime green walls and six beds to a room, one bathroom for sixteen or so strangers to share and, last but not least, Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” and Madonna alternately blaring from the kitchen.  I think McCain might have had flashbacks to his prisoner of war days (there were five and a half years of them), but we were in Paradise.  We settled in a bit before venturing out into the streets of Florence. We made it back later that evening just in time for the complimentary wine tasting, hosted by the man himself, where we picked up our Korean friend, Gina. After “respecting the wine”, we all followed the manic Franco into the streets where he led us to one of his favorite local restaurants. It was late and the place was getting crowded. Laurann refused to follow Franco’s advice to use her “mafia influence” to get us seated quickly, so instead our host ran inside at least ten times to check the status for his “six sexy girls”. After dinner we hesitantly returned to our hostel in time for the dance-off in the kitchen. We played Franco and friends some Shakira and he showed us a poster of his famous model ex-girlfriend. After declining some wine being served from an old water bottle, we went to our room and snuggled in under the giant poster of David; simple but elegant décor. Bed bugs, schmegbugs! The night was peaceful aside from a few violent uproars coming from the bar across the street. We found Franco the next morning and said our tearful goodbye.  He might not have shown it, but I think he cried a little too. Probably one solitary tear, accompanied by “Beautiful Liar” poetically playing in the background…

Life, according to Catherine:

Last weekend, TommyTom, the captain of CEA, took us on a magic school bus ride to Tuscany.  We had a one million course meal complete with barrels of wine. Well, not really, but we did try the homemade cheese, salami, olive oil and a glass or two of wine. After adequately gorging ourselves, we went for a walk around town.  BOY was that pretty.  We then went to Montepulciano and Perugia where we found that dreams really do come true.  At least in the form of chocolate, that is.  We ran around our fancy-shmancy hotel room like kids on a Disney world vacation.  McCain’s sparkling smile blessed our presence on the English CNN network on the hotel television.  We went out to the discoteca and discovered the art of Italian techno dance.  Some forms of art just can’t be expressed in words…how to convey the concise snap sway technique our native male performer?  After about thirty minutes of “crazy” barhopping behavior we retired to the sweet serenading voice of our beloved McCain. The next morning we were greeted by a breakfast of real food (i.e. pastries +!).  Our friend, Dakota, rolled up in the dining room shortly after, complaining about the pain in his legs— after tremors (obvious evidence of dancing the night away). We took an informative tour of the city underground built during the time of the Etruscans. We then had a balanced lunch of hot chocolate with a sauce-like consistency, lasagna, and French fries.  They know how to treat us Americans right!  We then rode the bus home, giving that insulin a good four hours to get the job done. Home sweet, Rome! 

Monday night we decided to be big tough city girls and venture out after eight.  After sprinting to catch the number 3 bus (you know what they say about things in threes) we made it to our metro stop.  The metro car is appropriately decorated by enough graffiti to give it the look of a circus tent on acid.  We stepped into the magic box and it took us through the ant farm of Rome to our musical destination.  The orchestra started to fill the stage about twenty minutes after the listed time.  This made me nervous— didn’t they realize it was a school night?   Laurann fell in love with a cello player who wore sunglasses on his head throughout the entire performance— just in case the stage lights got too bright, you know?  They started to play Harry Potter and the cultured orchestra audience began to perk up.  After finishing the program, the director responded to the customary applause by playing again, and again. While the music was undoubtedly beautiful, I couldn’t help but start sweating— didn’t he know that the buses stopped running at midnight???  How were we ever going to make it back at a decent hour?  

Taking the bus home from the Rome Philharmonic Symphony performance.

And now, my part:     

We took the train to visit my family in Pesaro this past weekend. Everyone was adorable! All of my mother’s family and half of my father’s family live there, including both of my grandparents. My Zio Leo was a great host because he took us out for dinner our first night in town, provided CNN for us on his television, and gave us a guided tour of Pesaro on Saturday morning. We had lunch at my Nonna’s with my Uncle Nicky, Aunt Maura and cousin Andrea. Before going shopping in Riccone with my Aunt Frances and other cousins Alessandro and Elisa, we drove up into the hills to see the Panoramica of Pesaro. It was so charming because we saw the Adriatic Sea, all of the greenery from the hills and the town below. After looking at things we couldn’t afford from Armani and Gucci in Riccone, we ate a regional dish called piedina for dinner. So good. Before leaving for Rome on Sunday evening, we had a huge lunch with my mother’s family. The Vincenzettis. I practiced speaking Italian a lot, enjoyed the home cooked meal, the entertaining conversation, and my Zia Roberta’s tiramisu. It was fantastic and I look forward to going back throughout the semester.

Me with my uncles and grandfather.

Hope you all had a great Valentine’s Day!

The highlight of Thursday was going to one of our favorite pizza spots across the street from our apartment. Along with our dinner, we got a lesson in spotting the perfect pizza from this hilarious older Italian man holding a cigarette and muttering something about good bread being the base for great pizza. It was probably one of my top 10 favorite moments, thus far. Friday, I went to the Villa Borghese Park (located just beyond the Spanish Steps) and read among the peaceful greenery. The view of the entire city was gorgeous! Friday night I also got to talk to my family on the phone for a while. My dad is sounding a lot better and seems to be doing well. He had a heart attack during my first week in Rome and had emergency bypass surgery earlier last week. Not being there for my family was really difficult and made me want to go home more than anything, but I’m glad to know that he is now recuperating nicely and will get to rest for a while at home.

This weekend was unbelievable. We had a guided tour of the Colosseum and the Forum on Saturday. We learned that the Colosseum was built almost 2,000 years ago (1,920 years ago, to be more accurate) after Titus brought back the treasures he had seized after conquering Jerusalem and looting King Solomon’s Temple. I also learned that the stage was flooded to have simulated naval battles and that stone from the Colosseum was recycled (mostly during the Middle Ages) and used to form or decorate other Roman monuments. Oh yeah, and the name of the Colosseum actually comes from the colossal statue of Nero located outside of the stadium that served as the meeting point before entering. Actually waking around inside of what are now the remnants of Ancient Rome was so remarkable. Yesterday we went to the Vatican and saw St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. There is no preparation for either. It was so surreal, ornate and gigantic. The last Sunday of every month has free admission, so we didn’t even have to pay. Still, we’re going back because I don’t mind paying for it or standing in the enormous lines that wrap around the block. No words in the human lexicon exist that can even begin to describe the beauty of what I saw—and any attempt to articulate the feeling one experiences when seeing Michelangelo’s work would fail in serving it any justice. All I can say is, if you could only go to one place in the entire world to appreciate what man is capable of accomplishing, go to the Sistine Chapel. I also saw the Pietà, the School of Athens, and dozens of other masterpieces. I feel so lucky to be here.  

The first is the view from our apartment window.

After our long flight, my friend and now roommate, Catherine, and I met two of our roommates at the airport. Carly and Nikki are twins from Chicago who go to the Universities of Arizona and Wisconsin. After moving into our apartment and getting unpacked, we met Allison and Katie (both are from Presbyterian College). I think we are all going to get along well. On our first night, we toured the neighborhood a bit and went for some pizza and gelato. Man, the pizza is good. No wonder I’ve eaten it every day since. We live just outside of the center of Rome, so we take the buses to just about everywhere. Our first day of orientation was quite the adventure. It wasn’t a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie or anything, but we passed the Colosseum— truly mind-boggling. We were so obviously the Americans on the bus because we all freaked out while no one else on the bus really cared. My favorite part of orientation was when Police Chief Michele talked to us about safety in Rome because he kept referring to the Italian national sport of chasing women. Be prepared to hear a “Ciao, Bella!” or two when coming to Italy. Overall, we have learned a lot in the past week about the sights and the culture of Rome.

The Colosseum, Pantheon (outside and inside), a gelateria, and the view while crossing the Tiber River.  

The day we took a tour of Rome was my favorite! Our tour guide was really knowledgeable. We saw so many extraordinary sites: the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, old Roman aqueducts, and dozens of churches and fountains. The Trevi Fountain was absolutely gorgeous and truly surreal! The next day we went on a double-decker bus tour of Rome. I couldn’t take a bad picture because it was all so amazing. On Saturday, Catherine and I went to Piazza Barberini to see an underground crypt started by Capuchin monks. From the 1500’s to the 1700’s, they used the bones of over 4000 people to create very elaborate and ornate designs all over the walls and ceilings of 6 rooms. It was really morbid and creepy, but it was so cool. On Sunday, we went to the area of Rome that was once the Jewish ghetto to visit the Jewish Museum and ate at Da Giggetto. We had fried artichoke, which is famous and apparently the Jewish style of eating artichokes. Today we started classes at John Cabot, so I think it will start to feel like we really live here. For the next four months, I will be a resident of Rome…so unreal.

The Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain.

Unlike Audrey Hepburn’s character of Princess Ann in the film Roman Holiday, I am not an actual princess (much to my chagrin) and will probably not encounter Gregory Peck during my time in Rome. Still, I am tremendously excited to be studying abroad in Rome, Italy this semester at John Cabot University through a program called Cultural Experiences Abroad (CEA). Over the past few months, I have been making preparations for my trip by filling out applications, renewing my passport, working out finances, asking lots of questions, buying my plane ticket, etc. It’s so bizarre to only be a week away from departure! After arriving on January 14^th, I will have about a week of Orientation before starting classes the following Monday. I will be taking five classes total while I am at JCU including history, art history, and Italian language classes. Also, I am so excited to have the chance to take trips around Italy and Europe! CEA has set up activities to sites in Rome as well as several weekend excursions to various parts of Italy. If time and money permit, I also plan on traveling to Spain, France, Germany, Greece, England, Ireland and Scotland. I think that studying and traveling will allow me to experience the diverse cultures, cuisine, history, people, art and ideas present in Europe. I also hope to visit my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who still live in Italy. My family and I moved away from Italy when I was two years old, so I look forward to getting to know those family members a little better. Fortunately, I will also be sharing this experience with one of my best friends! Her name is Catherine and we have been friends since elementary school. Although we decided to go to separate colleges to pursue our different interests after high school graduation (she goes to Presbyterian College), I am so glad that we will be spending the semester together at the same university. This experience is truly a dream come true and I am so grateful for this opportunity.

The past few weeks of vacation have been incredible! I have loved spending time with my family and friends. I had a wonderful Christmas and a fun New Years celebration! For New Years, my roommate, Allison, came to Myrtle Beach and we saw the movie P.S. I Love You together and played Italian bingo with my family for most of the night. I have also gone to the Wacatee Zoo with my sister and Disney World with Catherine and one of my other best friends from high school. I called some of my friends (Mari, Lindsay and Laura) at Converse today and was happy to hear that they are enjoying their Jan Term. I am so thankful that I was able to spend my break with my little sister Cristina, especially, but also with my parents and friends before leaving for the next few months. Right now, I’m feeling a little nervous but thrilled at the same time. I keep putting off packing (mostly because I have been watching way too much America’s Next Top Model), but I plan on starting early this week. I am really looking forward to the next few months and will keep everyone updated!